§ MR. M. J. KENNY (Tyrone, Mid)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the Commissioners of Education have refused to supply to the Very Rev. B. Murphy, Manager of the Mullaslin National School, County Tyrone, the Minute of Observations from the District Inspector's last results' Report; and, if this refusal has been caused by the contradictory nature of that Report, and the previous Report of the Head Inspector Seymour; if it is a fact that Mr. Seymour some time since instructed the Very Rev. Father Murphy, as Manager of the Dromogue (County Tyrone) National School, to expel such pupils as did not regularly pay school fees, and if such an instruction or recommendation is legal; and, if the Board of Education will cause inquiry to be made into the conduct of Inspector Seymour?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The Commissioners of National Education inform me that in lieu of the brief summary of the District Inspector, which they considered was not sufficiently detailed, they furnished to the manager a comprehensive statement of the result of the Inspector's examination. The Head Inspector's Report in no way influenced the matter, his Report not being made previous to the District Inspector's, as alleged in the Question, but subsequent to it. The Head Inspector states that he never gave any such instructions to the manager as those indicated in the second paragraph, though he may have casually mentioned to him that he thought it was in his power to exclude children applying for admission to the school, whose parents were able to pay schools fees, but refused to do so. However, upon the manager applying to the Board on the subject they informed him that they could not sanction the exclusion of children; but in the event of non-payment, it is open to the teacher to sue the parents for the amount. The Head Inspector having long since furnished an explanation, the Commissioners do not consider it necessary to pursue the point further.